There will be snow in the desert for the World Para Snowboard World Cup season

Dubai might not be the place that comes to mind when one thinks of snowboard. But there will be snow in the desert for the World Para Snowboard World Cup season kick-off on Wednesday (7 November).

The first ski resort in the Middle East, Ski Dubai hosts for the first time a major international snowboard competition with 36 athletes from 11 countries.

The two-day banked slalom event will feature some of the best riders in the world, such as PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympics medallist Chris Vos of the Netherlands.

“It is almost real snow. It is crazy but it is really good,” said Vos, who is also the reigning world champion in the men’s SB-LL1 class. “The course is good, they’ve done a pretty good job for indoors. Everybody is happy, Dubai is a great city and I love to be here.”

Among the other PyeongChang 2018 medallists in action are Australia’s Simon Patmore and USA’s Mike Minor in the men’s SB-UL class.